Suction apparatus for winding machines



March 1962 J. A. NORTHUP, JR., ET AL 3,027,107

SUCTION APPARATUS FOR WINDING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1960 FIG.

INVENTORS JOSEPH A. NORTHU P JR. BY RICHARD l. WALDEN ATTORNEY Mar h 27 J. A. NORTHUP, JR, ET AL SUCTION APPARATUS FOR WINDING MACHINES Filed May 19, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTORS A JOSEPH A. NORTHUP JR y RICHARD %ALDEN ATTORNEY J. A. NORTHUP, JR.. ETAL 3,027,107

SUCTION APPARATUS FOR WINDING MACHINES March 27, 1962 Filed May 19, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3

INVENTORS JOSEPH A. NORTHUP JR BY RICHARD LfiDI-IN ATTORNEY March 27, 1962 NORTHUP, R. ETAL 3,027,107

SUCTION APPARATUS FOR WINDING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 19, 1960 I 128 I36 we I38 FIG. 4

INVENTORS JOSEPH A. NORTHUP JR. BY RICHARD 1. WALDEN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,027,107 SUCTION APPARATUS FOR WINDING MACHINES Joseph A. Northup, In, Riverside, and Richard I. Walden, Warwick, 11.1., assignors to Leesona Corporation,

Cranston. Rh, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed May 19, 1960, Ser. No. 30,311 8 Claims. (Cl. 242-35.6)

The present invention relates to winding machines and more particularly relates to an improved apparatus for retrieving a yarn end from the surface of a package wound on such machines.

In the following specification and claims, the term yarn is employed in a general sense to apply to all kinds of strand material, either textile or otherwise, and the designation package is intended to mean the product of a Winding machine whatever its form.

United States Patent No. 2,764,362, issued September 25, 1956 to W. V. Goodhue, et al. for Winding Machine, discloses a winding machine adapted to automatically tie broken ends in a winding strand and to tie in new supplies of yarn having means for retrieving a yarn end from the surface of a package being wound when the winding strand breaks or is exhausted. Said retrieving means comprises a vacuum duct and a conduit which connects the duct to a yarn-retrieving suction nozzle. A plunger-type valve, located in said conduit, is lever operated to induce a vacuum to the nozzle whenever the yarn retrieving operation is required to be performed. It has been found that the operation of the plungentype valve employed in the system as described in the cited Patent No. 2,764,362 is disrupted when yarn is drawn into the region of the valve by suction and caused to remain there as when the plunger operates to open or close and wedge the yarn therein. This disruption necessarily causes a malfuction of the entire end retrieving operation thereby causing lost production time. Furthermore, the plungertype valve and associated mechanism is expensive to manufacture and install.

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a winding machine having improved yarn end retrieving means;

Another object of the present invention is to provide a Winding machine having improved suction means for retrieving a broken strand from the surface of a package;

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine having a yarn retrieving means including a suction nozzle and a closure therefor operable for retrieving a broken strand from a winding package and adapted to close the suction nozzle when said end has been retrieved.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine having a yarn retrieving means including a compartment and a closure therefor, the closure being operable to provide an opening along one edge thereof for the entrance of a yarn ejector and along another edge thereof to form a suction nozzle which operates to retrieve a broken strand from a package surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a winding machine having means for positively guiding a strand onto the surface of a package after said strand has been retrieved and reunited with a supply yarn.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a Winding machine having a yarn retrieving means which is economical to manufacture, simple in operation, and durable and reliable in use.

Other objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and Will in part appear hereinafter.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention reference should be had to the 3,027,107 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a winding machine incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the winding machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the suction unit of the winding machine and showing the nozzle in its open position with the beak closed within the suction unit; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the nozzle and slot in their open positions.

While the present invention is shown and described herein in conjunction with a rotary traverse type winding machine it is to be understood that the invention is also applicable to other types of winding units, for example, precision winders in which the package is rotated by a positively driven spindle and the yarn is distributed thereon by a reciprocatin traversing guide.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing wherein is shown one unit of a winding machine, which may have a plurality of similar units arranged along a bed 10 constructed of angle irons or the like. As each of the winding units is identical only one need be described for purposes of illustrating the present invention. A horizontal shaft 12 extends longitudinally of the machine parallel to bed 10, being journaled in suitable bearings 14 on bracket 16. Power means (not shown), such as an electric motor, are positioned adjacent one end of bed It) and serve to continuously rotate shaft 12. Drive roll 18 having helical grooves 19 formed on the periphery thereof is mounted fast on shaft 12 for rotation therewith.

A second horizontal shaft 20 constituting a reverse roll is also journaled in bracket 16. The reverse roll shaft 20 is driven from the power means employed to rotate shaft 12 but is rotated in the opposite direction. Reverse roll shaft 20 is at the rear of shaft 12, see FIG. 1, and arranged slightly therebelow in position to permit a Winding package to be transferred from roll 18 into peripheral engagement therewith to be rotated in an unwinding direction.

Package P is Wound on a core C positioned on mandrel 30 in turn supported for free rotation on a spindle 32. Spindle 32 is mounted on a pivoted arm 34 which is fixed to a rotatable rod 36 carried in bearings 38 pivoted on stub shaft 4-3. This construction permits spindle 32 which is positioned parallel drive roll 18 to recede therefrom during the building of a package on core C. Stub shaft 49 is supported at the end of an upstanding arm 42 pivotally supported within housing 22. Rod 36 is adapted to be turned in its bearings 38 by split collar 44 which is acted upon by link 46 to thereby tilt or cant winding spindle 32 with respect to the axis of drive roll 18 so that as the taper on the periphery of package P changes during the winding cycle its surface will be maintained in full contact with the periphery of the drive roll 18. A stabilizing arm 49 connected to shaft 40 serves to maintain the angular relationship of package P to drive roll 18 in the event it becomes necessary to temporarily remove the package from the drive roll during the winding operation. The foregoing is explained in detail in commonly assigned application of Porter 1. Barnes, Jr. for Winding Machine Serial No. 30,348, filed May 19, 1960. A rest plate 51 comprising a stationary member mounted in a frame 10 is positioned rearwardly of drive roll 18 and parallel thereto. So positioned, rest plate 51 is adapted to engage a Winding package as it is shifted off of drive roll 18 and arrest the rotation thereof.

A bracket 50 is fixed to base 24 of housing 22 and projects forwardly therefrom, mounting a flat panel 52 in inclined relationship thereto at the forward end thereof. Panel 52 supports a yarn guide 54 at the forward end thereof, a tensioning device 56, a slub catcher 57 and a second tensioning device 5 8 are aligned rear'wardly of guide 54. In the normal winding operation yarn is drawn from a supply thereof beneath guide 54, tensions 56, 58, slub catcher 5-7 and over traverse roll 18 to be wound onto package P.

A knot-tier generally indicated at 70 for uniting the end of yarn from a supply with the end of yarn on the surface of package P, and which may be of any suitable construction and arrangement, is mounted on bracket 72 fastened to side 26 of housing 22. As herein illustrated knot-tier 70 comprises a casing 74 enclosing certain of the operating parts of the mechanism on which is pivotally mounted an arm 76 having an elbow-shaped beak 78 at the outer end thereof. Beak 78 is adapted to swing in a vertical plane from the yarn retrieving unit to be hereafter described to overlay the knot-tier 7t) and to deposit the end of yarn from package P in said knottier.

Suitable means, not involved in the present invention are provided for conveying the end of the supply yarn from the tension panel 52 to the knotter 70 where it is tied to the end from package P.

The foregoing instrumentalities which are fully disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,764,362 and commonly assigned application of inventors Thomas E. Pitts and Carlton A. Steele for the invention entitled Automatic Supply Package Indexing for Winding Machines filed concurrently herewith are presented here for clarity and do not form a part of the present invention except in combination with the improvements which are about to be described.

A vacuum duct 90 extends parallel to bed with the air being exhausted therefrom by means such as a vacuum pump (not shown) connected thereto. A portion of bracket 16 is hollow and forms a tubular portion 91 which is connected to a suitable opening in duct 90 in a manner to form a substantially airtight seal therebetween.

The upper section of the tubular portion terminates in an opening as at 92 (see FIG. 2.) through wall 96 (see FIG. 1) of bracket 16. A compartment 100 supported in angular relationship and extending substantially the length of drive roll 18 at the rear thereof and closely adjacent reverse roll shaft 20 is fixed by means of hollow flange 102 to the opening 92 in bracket 16 by bolts 106. A substantially air-tight joint is provided between flange 102 and opening 92 whereby suction induced by a vacuum in duct 90 is transmitted into compartment 100.

A cover plate 108 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) overlies the open top of compartment 100 and is secured thereby by screws 110 in a manner to enclose substantially the entire compartment but spaced to provide a longitudinal access along the length of the forward wall thereof as at 112 (best shown in FIG. 4) which serves as a suction nozzle. The right hand end of cover plate 188, see FIG. 3, slotted as at 114 at an angle in conformity to the inclined path of yarn ejector beak 78 which is adapted to enter compartment 100 through said slot.

A movable closure valve 118, having an indentation in the forward right hand corner as at 119 is. disposed in overlying relationship to cover plate 108 and is provided with a clearance hole toward the rearward right hand end of generally triangular shape as at 120 to receive a guide pin 12-2 fixed into top of plate 188. A second substantially triangular clearance hole is provided at 124 through valve 118 to receive guide pin 126 carried on plate 108.

Closure valve 118 is slid laterally and longitudinally of cover plate 108 for opening and closing suction nozzle 112 and slot 114 respectively by means of a right angular arm 128 pivoted on a stud 130 carried on a lever 13 2', which in turn is pivotally carried on stud 134 threadedly engaged in a wall of compartment 100. The right angular extension 136 of arm 128 has a pin 138 fixed in its outer end and depending therefrom to be engaged in a lateral slot 140 formed in closure valve 118 for movement therealong. A pair of resilient stop fingers 142 and 144, disposed at right angles to and at each end of slot 14-11 are formed from the material of valve 118 by milling parallel slots on each side thereof and provide resilient means for absorbing the percussion of pin 138. Closure valve 118 is made of a reiatively thin flexible material as, for example, sheet nylon so that the suction in compartment 188 will draw it tightiy against slots 112 and 114- to effectively seal them and to thus prevent the loss of vacuum.

Arm 128 is slotted to provide a pair of camming surfaces 146 and 148 along the edges thereof. Camming surface 146 has a projection 150 of substantially V-shape extending inwardly therefrom. A pin 15 2 is fixed to the top of cover plate 108 and extends upwardly therefrom between cam surfaces 146 and 148-. A nylon collar 154, bored to be received on pin 152 and securely fastened to cover plate 108 provides a bearing surface for sliding arm 128-. Ann 128 thereby overlays collar 154 to be retained loosely thereon by a flat washer 156 and locking ring 158 positioned above and spanning said arm.

Lever 13 2 is provided with a shouldered stud 160' positioned midway therealong to receive one end of a link 162 thereon. The enlarged lower diameter 164 of stud 160 defines a shoulder which supports link 162 and diameter 164 serves to engage an ear166 protruding from the lower portion of arm 128 during the rearward movement of this latter member for a purpose to be explained hereafter. The opposite end of link 162 (see FIG. 2) connects with a pin 168 secured to a lug 170 attached to arm 49.

Pivotally mounted on a pin 172 fixed to cover plate 108 is a thin sheet metal plate 174 which extends forward of nozzle 112, having a narrow elongated slot at 176 (see FIG. 4) centrally and running through the greater part of its length. Slot 176 is in substantial alignment with slot 140 of valve 118 and is adapted to also receive pin 138 slidably therein. Slot 176 is formed to have a straight mid-portion 177 approximately parallel to the sides of plate 174, a forward slot extension 178 which angles slightly to the left from portion 177, and a rear slot extension 179 formed angularly somewhat to the right from portion 177, see FIGS. 3 and 4. The forward left hand edge of plate 174 has a V-shaped notch 180 formed therein above and aligned with nozzle 112 with its opening directed toward the left.

Mounted on pins 122 and 172 of cover plate 108 is a sheet metal finger 182 adapted to guide the yarn along its right hand edge 183 as it is drawn out of suction nozzle 112 by beak 78 to prevent it from becoming entangled in various parts of the mechanism. Finger 182 projects forwardly parallel slot 114, partially overlaying plate 174 and terminates in an arcuate bill 184 extending to the left (see FIG. 30). Pin 172 is recessed to receive split ring 186 for securing finger 182 thereon.

The foregoing mechanism operates in the following described manner. The winding machine is prepared for winding by securing core C on mandrel 3G. Yarn Y is drawn upwardly from a suitable supply source (not herein illustrated) and entered through yarn guide 54 and then led through tension devices 56 and 58, under slub catcher 57 through groove 19 in roll 18 and is secured to core C. With shaft 12 rotating winding of the yarn onto core C is started by lowering the core C into contact with rotating drive roll 18. As soon as the surface of core C makes contact with the periphery of drive roll 18 it will be caused to rotate to wind yarn thereon, and meanwhile the yarn strand Y will be traversed back and forth by helical grooves 19 to deposit the yarn and the core.

With the machine winding yarn as thus described closure valve 118 assumes the position as shown in FIG. 1 covering suction nozzle 112 and slot 114 and is so retained by lever 132 being held forwardly by link 162. When the winding yarn breaks or the supply becomes exhausted, means fully described in United States Patent No. 2,764,362 are actuated to shift package P off drive roll 18 and onto rest plate 51 to arrest its rotation following which it is moved onto reverse roll shaft 20 to be rotated in an unwinding direction.

It is desirable that the suction nozzle 112 be opened as soon as package P is shifted from rest 51 to reverse roll shaft 20 so that the nozzle can suck the end from package P. Also, it is necessary that the slot 114 be opened to permit the ingress of beak 78 into compart ment 180 where it will pick up the yarn end for transfer to the knotter 78. To this end closure valve 118 is slid first to the left to open slot 114 permitting the entrance of beak 78. Immediately following this closure valve 118 is slid rearwardly, i.e. away from package P, and to the right to open suction nozzle 112 and close slot 114 although it will be noted that the rearward movement of valve 118 leaves a small opening through which the arm carrying beak 78 projects. This movement is accomplished by link 162 moving rearwardly under the influence of stabilizing arm 49, as the machine cycles, to pivot lever 132 rearwardly. Such movement of lever 132 draws right angular arm 128 rearwardly carrying stud 138 therewith along slot 140. It will be seen that arm 128 will retreat along a substantially straight path to the point where projection 150 engages with pin 152. This path of straight rearward movement corresponds to the path of movement of package P from drive roll 18 to rest 51. Simultaneously with the shifting of package P off of rest 51 projection 158 of camming surface 146 cams arm 128 to the left. This movement of arm 128 slides closure valve 118 to the left and rearwardly to open suction nozzle 112 and slot 114, being generally guided by pins 122 and 126. When pin 152 contacts the apex of projection 158 ear 166 of arm 128 will contact diameter 164 of stud 160. With slot 114 opened as described beak 78 will be caused to rock into the slot 114 by means as described in US. Patent No. 2,764,362. Thereafter, as stabilizing arm 49 continues its rearward movement arm 128, securely positioned against stud 160, will swing in a clockwise direction about stud 130 to slide valve 118 over the greater length of slot 114 while beak 78 is depressed therein. Indention 119 of valve 118 affords an opening through which arm 76 extends while beak 78 is so depressed. As package P is driven by reverse roll shaft 20 suction nozzle 112 will act to suck in the loose yarn end from the surface of the package and draw it through compartment 100 over beak 78. After the yarn has thus been retrieved from the package by suction nozzle 112, valve 118 is slid again to the left to open slot 114, to permit egress of beak 78, by the forward movement of arm 49 in response to means set forth in Patent No. 2,764,362. The forward movement of link 162 and arm 49 causes lever 132 to pivot forwardly thereby shifting arm 128 slightly counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4 and causing pin 152 to contact projection 158 whereby arm 128 and valve 118 are slid to the left to permit beak 78 to swing out of slot 114. Thereafter nozzle 112 and slot 114 are closed in response to further forward movement of arm 49 which serves to move arm 128 forwardly thereby causing projection 150 to pass by pin 152 and imparting slight clockwise rotation to arm 128 to bring pin 152 into contact with camming surface 148 and wall 149 which shifts closure valve 118 forwardly and to the right to close nozzle 112 and slot 114 as shown in FIG. 1. Since closure valve 118 is constructed of a thin, flexible material the suction in compartment 188 will draw said closure tightly against nozzle 112 and slot 114 to thereby provide a tight efl'icient seal.

Plate 174 and finger 184 serve to guide the yarn onto the periphery of package P after it has been retrieved by suction nozzle 112 and ejected from slot 114 by beak 78. It will be recalled that plate 174 is provided with a notch 188 which is aligned with and slightly above nozzle 112. As the yarn is sucked in by nozzle 112 and drawn toward beak 78 it will become engaged in notch 180 and will thereafter be drawn longitudinally across the beak 78. During this retrieving operation arm 128 is in its rearmost position with pin 152 located forwardly of projection and with pin 138 in slot extension 179 of plate 174. Simultaneously with the forward movement of arm 49 which slides valve 118 to the left to open slot 114 and afford clearance for beak 78 to swing upwardly, plate 174, engaged by pin 138 of arm 128, is pivoted to the left about pin 172 as pin 138 is slid along slot portion 177 of slot 176. This motion results as pin 152 engages with projection 150 to shift arm 128 to the left. As plate 174 is so pivoted beak 78 continues to carry the yarn upwardly toward knot-tier 70 causing the yarn to slide along edge 183 of finger 182. The .leftward movement of plate 174 terminates so that the opening of notch is in substantial alignment with the end of bill 184 whereby the yarn will simultaneously disengage from both members as it is deposited in the knot-tier by beak 78. Pin 138 is thereafter slide into slot extension 178 of plate 174. As the yarn is drawn off the end of finger 184 and out of notch 180 it will have been passed under the apex of package P and carried partially along the periphery thereof. As the knot-tying operation is completed the reunited yarn strand Y is led from the knottier 78 into grooves 19 of drive roll 18 and arm 76 is returned to its normal position with beak 78 resting slightly above slot 114.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a winding machine adapted to Wind a package of yarn when said package is in a first position and having means adapted to rotate the package in an unwinding direction when the winding strand is broken or exhausted and when said package is in a second position, a knotter means associated therewith adapted to tie the end of yarn from the package to the end of yarn from a supply thereof, a pivotally mounted beak adapted to carry the end of yarn from said package to said knotter, and means to move the package from said first position to said second position and back again, the combination comprising a compartment adjacent said unwinding means having an elongated slot therein forming a suction nozzle adapted to suck the free end of yarn from said package when it is rotated in an unwinding direction and a second slot adapted to receive said beak, said beak being normally positioned outside said second slot, means for continually maintaining a vacuum in said compartment, a closure valve having an inoperative position closing said nozzle and said second mentioned slot when said package is in said first position to prevent admission of air to said compartment and means operable to move said closure valve as said package moves from said first position to said second position from said inoperative position, at which both said nozzle and said second slot are closed, to an operative position, at which said second slot is open to permit the ingress and egress of said beak and said nozzle is open to retrieve the free end of yarn during package unwinding, said last-named means also being operable to return said closure valve to inoperative position as said package moves from said second position back to said first position.

2. In a winding machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said closure valve is formed from flexible resilient material.

3. A winding machine as in claim 1 wherein said last named means includes an operating lever connected to said closure valve, said lever being movable as a result of package movement generally away from and then towards said nozzle and cam means operable cooperatively upon said operating lever and said closure valve to move said valve to and from said inoperative position from and to said operative position.

4. A winding machine as in claim 1 wherein said last named means includes a closure valve operating lever movable along a generally straight path away from said nozzle as said package moves from said first position to said second position and then towards said nozzle as the package returns to said tfirst position, said lever having at one end a limited sliding connection with said closure valve in a direction parallel to the path of movement of the lever; cam means adapted to act on said operating lever upon movement thereof away from said nozzle to displace said one end thereof laterally of said path and move said closure valve away from the second slot to open the same for reception of said beak; and cam means operable as said closure valve is so moved by said operating lever to impart a component of movement away from said nozzle to said closure valve to likewise open said nozzle for reception of the end of yarn from said package during unwinding, said last named cam means being effective upon movement of said operating lever towards said nozzle as said package returns to first position to return said valve to inoperative position.

5. A winding machine as in claim 4 including a detent adapted to be engaged by said operating lever after said first named cam means has displaced said lever end away from said second slot, further movement of said lever away from said nozzle after engagement of said detent therewith reversing the movement of said lever end to move the closure valve towards said second slot and close the same while leaving said nozzle open whereby loss of suction pressure through said second slot is eliminated as said nozzle functions to retrieve said yarn end during package unwinding.

6. A winding machine as in claim 1 wherein said package is supported from one end with the other end free, and including a plate overlying part of said closure valve and suction nozzle, said plate having a yarn engaging notch formed adjacent one end thereof generally in alignment with said nozzle, said plate being mounted for pivotal movement to move said notch generally parallel to said nozzle, said notch being normally positioned in alignment with said free package end, and means operative to pivot said plate to position said notch inwardly of said package end as said beak carries the yarn end to the knotter and thereafter to return said plate to normal position.

7. A winding machine as in claim 6 wherein said means operative to pivot said plate includes a connection between said closure valve and said plate whereby movement of said valve to open said second slot posi tions' said pivotal plate with said notch inwardly of said package end;

8. Ina winding machine as set forth in claim 6 having a curved finger overlaying said suction nozzle and positioned to be engaged by and to guide a strand of yarn being transferred by said beak from said compartment to said knotter.

Campbell Dec. 16, 1947 Goodhue et a1 Sept. 25, 1956 

